A New Devotion - United in Christ

Here's a new devotion that I wrote. You can find a recording of this devotion at the bottom of the page.

Ephesians 2:13-22

But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ. For he is our peace; in his flesh he has made both groups into one and has broken down the dividing wall, that is, the hostility between us. He has abolished the law with its commandments and ordinances, that he might create in himself one new humanity in place of the two, thus making peace, and might reconcile both groups to God in one body through the cross, thus putting to death that hostility through it. So he came and proclaimed peace to you who were far off and peace to those who were near; for through him both of us have access in one Spirit to the Father. So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are citizens with the saints and also members of the household of God, built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the cornerstone. In him the whole structure is joined together and grows into a holy temple in the Lord; in whom you also are built together spiritually into a dwelling place for God.

United in Christ

Yesterday, I had an online conversation with a sister in Christ. And in the course of our messaging, I said that, as we deal with the consequences of COVID-19, our country was going to need the kind of unity we haven’t seen in a long time. She agreed. But then she said that kind of unity could only begin when I and those who share my political opinions abandon what we believe is moral and right. You see, in her opinion, I need to adopt her perspective 100% and offer absolute faith in and dedication to the men and women she believed were right. That was her answer to unity.

But as this passage from Ephesians reminds me, there’s something else that can bring us together, and Christians can lead the way. You see, for Paul, we can be united in Christ. And I believe that can apply regardless of whether or not a person believes that he’s the Lord, you know, the incarnation of God. Let me explain. Jesus stood for some clear and fundamental values, principles that are basic to almost every religion and philosophy I know. You see, he didn’t lay down an extensive set of laws nor did he demand adherence to a certain political doctrine. Instead he taught us to look past our wants so that we could address the needs of others, especially those who are weak and vulnerable. And through his life, he demonstrated humility and honesty and yet had no qualms confronting inhumanity and hypocrisy. But most important of all, he commanded us to love God and to love our neighbor. Now that’s what Jesus offered for everyone, whether they see themselves as Christian or not. And I believe, if we all put aside all those extraneous things that divide and focus our attention on the simple yet profound values espoused by Jesus and others, we’ll see a sense of purpose and unity that we lack right now.